Challenge: In the healthcare industry, the handling of particularly sensitive information is a normal daily occurrence. However, internal mechanisms for processing and handling data do not generally offer a user friendly and secure method for exchanging that information with patients or third parties. Especially notable are the wide variety of sensitive information and documents involved in the continual communication in ongoing care.

One Globalscape client, a regional healthcare organization consisting of numerous outpatient facilities needed a budget-friendly, low-maintenance, easy-to-use file sharing solution that met strict compliance and security standards. The organization also needed a solution that would make it safe and easy for the healthcare organization’s staff to share sensitive medical data with patients, even with little technical background.

Solution

Using Globalscape Mail Express®, the healthcare organization’s physicians and staff could easily and securely send sensitive messages and attachments to patients or insurance companies. This data often included confidential medical information and important documents protected by Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

As an additional level of convenience and usability, the organization also leveraged the Single-Sign-On in Internet Explorer with the Mail Express Outlook Add-in, which allows for a seamless and intuitive operation for staff. The streamlined and easy-to-use Mail Express interface provides a simple and intuitive recipient experience for patients, while also eliminating the cost of supporting even the least tech-savvy patients.

When needed, physicians and staff can quickly and easily elevate the patient from purely a recipient to also having the ability to send documents and sensitive information back to the physician’s or facility’s offices. The straightforward Reply Portal provides a pleasant and empowering experience for the patient, resulting in a measurable increase in patient satisfaction.

Results

The operations group within the IT department welcomed the visibility and control gained through Mail Express. The solution was universally easier to use, even for patients and employees with the least amount of technology experience. At the same time, IT maintained complete control over the data transfer activity. With Mail Express, IT could ensure that the sent data was secure at every step, especially through functions that include the expiation of data access, purging of old data and records, and purging of inactive patient accounts – all of which happen automatically according to governing policies, and without the need for human intervention.

The IT department’s security group was satisfied that for Globalscape’s tools provided a high level of security and tracking, not only in the exchange of the information but also the data hosting and retention in protected internal storage. The physicians and staff were relieved to have a truly fast and easy way to send and request information and documents, while the patients felt comfortable and confident in the professionalism of the facilities and staff, and trust that their information remains secure.